understand the faith study bible sampler

8/10/2019 Understand the Faith Study Bible Sampler

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B I B L E S A M P L E RCONTENT IS NOT FINAL


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CONTENT IS NOT FINAL

UNDERSTAND

THE FAITHSTUDY BIBLE

NIV


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Editorial Advisory Board

J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu (Ghana)

PhD, University of BirminghamBaeta-Grau Professor of African Christianity

and Pentecostal Theology, TrinityTheological Seminary (Ghana)Author of Contemporary Pentecostal

Christianity: Interpretations from an

African Context

Simon Chan (Singapore)

PhD, Cambridge UniversityProfessor of Systematic Theology, Trinity

Theological College (Singapore)

Author ofPentecostal Ecclesiology: An Essayon the Development of Doctrine

Krish Kandiah (UK)

PhD, Kings College LondonExecutive Director, Churches in Mission:

Evangelical Alliance (UK)Author ofParadoxology: Why Christianity

Was Never Meant to Be Simple

Roger E. Olson (USA)PhD, Rice UniversityFoy Valentine Professor of Christian Theology

and Ethics, Baylor University (USA)Author of The Journey of Modern Theology:

From Reconstruction to Deconstruction

J. I. Packer (England)

DPhil, University of OxfordBoard of Governors Professor of Theology,

Regent College (Canada)Author ofKnowing God

Howard A. Snyder (USA)

PhD, University of Notre DameProfessor of History and Theology of Mission

(retired), Asbury Theological Seminary(USA)

Author of Salvation Means Creation Healed

Sarah Hinlicky Wilson (USA/France)PhD, Princeton Theological SeminaryResearch Professor, Institute for Ecumenical

Research (France)Author of Woman, Women, and the

Priesthood in the Trinitarian Theology of

Elisabeth Behr-Sigel


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Contributors

Milton Acosta-Bentez (Columbia)

PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolProfessor of Old Testament, Seminario

Bblico de Colombia, Medelln (Columbia)Author ofEl humor en el Antiguo Testamento

J. Ayodeji Adewuya (Nigeria)

PhD, University of ManchesterProfessor of Greek and New Testament,

Pentecostal Theological Seminary (USA)Author of Transformed by Grace: Pauls View

of Holiness in Romans 6 8

Jonathan Alston (USA)MA, Wheaton CollegeFreelance writer (USA)

John H. Armstrong (USA)

DMin, Luther Rice SeminaryPresident, ACT3 Network (USA)Author of Your Church Is Too Small: Why

Unity in Christs Mission Is Vital to the

Future of the Church

J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu (Ghana)

PhD, University of BirminghamBaeta-Grau Professor of African Christianity

and Pentecostal Theology, TrinityTheological Seminary (Ghana)Author of Contemporary Pentecostal

Christianity: Interpretations from anAfrican Context

Lynne M. Baab (USA)

PhD, University of WashingtonJack Somerville Senior Lecturer in Pastoral

Theology, University of Otago (NewZealand)

Author of Sabbath Keeping: Finding Freedomin the Rhythms of Rest

Ruth Haley Barton (USA)

DDiv, Northern SeminaryFounder, Transforming Center (USA)Author of Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our

Lives for Spiritual Transformation

M. Daniel Carroll R. (USA/Guatemala)

PhD, The University of SheffieldDistinguished Professor of Old Testament,

Denver Seminary (USA)Adjunct professor, Seminario Teolgico

Centroamericano (Guatemala)Author of Christians at the Border:

Immigration, the Church, and the Bible

Simon Chan (Singapore)PhD, Cambridge UniversityProfessor of Systematic Theology, Trinity

Theological College (Singapore)Author ofPentecostal Ecclesiology: An Essay

on the Development of Doctrine

Diane G. Chen (Hong Kong)

PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary

Professor of New Testament, PalmerTheological Seminary (USA)Author ofLet Me More of Their Beauty See:

Reading Familiar Verses in Context


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Contributors v

Jacob Cherian (India)

PhD, Princeton Theological SeminaryVice President and Dean of Faculty, Southern

Asia Bible College (India)An editor for South Asia Bible Commentary

(forthcoming 2015)

Oliver D. Crisp (England)

PhD, Kings College, LondonProfessor of Systematic Theology, Fuller

Theological Seminary (USA)Author ofDivinity and Humanity: The

Incarnation Reconsidered

Sung Wook Chung (Korea)

DPhil, University of OxfordProfessor of Christian Theology, Denver

Seminary (USA)Author ofAdmiration and Challenge: Karl

Barths Theological Relationship with John

Calvin

Mano Emmanuel (Sri Lanka)

MA, London School of Theology; DMin

candidate, Asian Graduate School ofTheology, Philippines

Academic Dean, Colombo TheologicalSeminary (Sri Lanka)

Author of To Faith Add Understanding:An Introduction to Christian Doctrine

Kevin P. Emmert (USA)

MA, Wheaton CollegeAssistant Editor, Christianity Today (USA)

Ajith Fernando (Sri Lanka)

ThM, Fuller Theological SeminaryTeaching Director, Youth for Christ

(Sri Lanka)Author ofReclaiming Love: Radical

Relationships in a Complex World

Wilfred T. W. Fon (Cameroon)

Ph D, Westminster Theological Seminary,Philadelphia, PA

Provost and Vice President, InstitutUniversitaire De DeveloppementInternational (Cameroon)

Author ofAfrican Traditional Religions andChristian Counseling

Mark Galli (USA)

MDiv, Fuller Theological SeminaryEditor, Christianity Today (USA)Author ofJesus Mean and Wild: The

Unexpected Love of an Untamable God

Christopher Hall (USA)

PhD, Drew UniversityDistinguished Professor of Theology and

Director of Academic Spiritual Formation,Eastern University (USA)Author ofReading Scripture with the Church

Fathers

Sarah Lebhar Hall (USA)

PhD, University of CambridgeAdjunct Professor of Old Testament, Gordon

Conwell Theological Seminary and TrinitySchool for Ministry (USA)

Author of Conquering Character: TheCharacterization of Joshua in Joshua 1 11

Lindsey Hankins (USA)

MA, Wheaton College; PhD candidate,

Princeton Theological Seminary

J. Scott Horrell (USA)

ThD, Dallas Theological SeminaryProfessor of Theological Studies, Dallas

Theological Seminary (USA)Author ofFrom the Ground Up: New

Testament Foundations for the 21st Century

Michael S. Horton (USA)

PhD, University of Coventry and WycliffeHall, Oxford

J. Gresham Machen Professor of SystematicTheology and Apologetics, WestminsterSeminary California (USA)

Author of The Christian Faith: A SystematicTheology for Pilgrims on the Way

Krish Kandiah (UK)

PhD, Kings College LondonExecutive Director, Churches in Mission:

Evangelical Alliance (UK)Author ofParadoxology, Why Christianity

Was Never Meant to Be Simple


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vi Contributors

Veli-Matti Krkkinen (Finland)

DrTheolHabil, University of HelsinkiProfessor of Systematic Theology, Fuller

Theological Seminary (USA)Author of Christ and Reconciliation:

A Constructive Theology for the PluralisticWorld

Kirsteen Kim (UK)

PhD, University of BirminghamProfessor of Theology and World

Christianity, Leeds Trinity University (UK)Author ofJoining in with the Spirit:

Connecting World Church and Local

Mission

Jonathan Krull (USA)

BA, Bethel University; PhD candidate,University of South Carolina

Visiting Professor of Philosophy, HuntingtonUniversity (USA)

Barbara Leung Lai (Canada)

PhD, University of Sheffield

Professor of Old Testament, TyndaleUniversity College & Seminary (Canada)

Author of Through the I-Window: The InnerLife of Characters in the Hebrew Bible

Caleb Lindgren (USA)

MA, Wheaton CollegeAssistant Copyeditor, Bibles and Reference,

Tyndale House Publishers (USA)

Wessly Lukose (India)

PhD, University of BirminghamSenior Minister, Birmingham Pentecostal

Fellowship (England)Author of Contextual Missiology of the Spirit:

Pentecostalism in Rajasthan, India

Conrad C. Mbewe (Zambia)

PhD, University of Pretoria

Pastor, Kabwata Baptist Church (Zambia)Author ofFoundations for the Flock: Truths

about the Church for All the Saints

Alister E. McGrath (England)

DD, Oxford UniversityAndreas Idreos Professor of Science and

Religion, Oxford University (England)Author of C. S. Lewis: A Life

Paul Louis Metzger (USA)

PhD, Kings College, University of LondonProfessor of Christian Theology & Theology

of Culture, Multnomah Biblical Seminary(USA)

Author of Connecting Christ: How to DiscussJesus in a World of Diverse Paths

Richard J. Mouw (USA)

PhD, University of ChicagoProfessor of Faith and Public Life, Fuller

Theological Seminary (USA)Author ofHe Shines in All Thats Fair:

Culture and Common Grace

Dieumeme Noelliste (Haiti)

PhD, Northwestern UniversityProfessor of Theological Ethics and Director

of the Vernon Grounds Institute of PublicEthics, Denver Seminary (USA)

Roger E. Olson (USA)

PhD, Rice UniversityFoy Valentine Professor of Christian Theology

and Ethics, Baylor University (USA)Author of The Journey of Modern Theology:

From Reconstruction to Deconstruction

C. Ren Padilla (Ecuador/Argentina)

PhD, Manchester University; DD, WheatonCollege

President Emeritus, Kairos Foundation(Argentina)

Author ofMission Between the Times: Essayson the Kingdom

Osvaldo Padilla (Dominican Republic/

USA)PhD, University of Aberdeen, UKAssistant Professor of Divinity, Beeson

Divinity School (USA)Author of The Speeches of Outsiders in Acts:

Poetics, Theology and Historiography


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Contributors vii

Paul J. Pastor (USA)

MA, Western SeminaryAssociate Editor,Leadership Journal(USA)

Finny Philip (India)

PhD, University of DurhamPrincipal, Filadelfia Bible College (India)Author of The Origins of Pauline

Pneumatology

Ivor Poobalan (Sri Lanka)

ThM, Trinity International UniversityPrincipal, Colombo Theological Seminary

(Sri Lanka)

John Raines (USA)

MA, Wheaton CollegeTeacher, Treland Educational Services (USA)

Michael Reeves (England)

PhD, Kings College, LondonDirector of Union and Senior Lecturer, Wales

Evangelical School of Theology (Wales)

Author ofDelighting in the Trinity: AnIntroduction to the Christian Faith

Kyle Rohane (USA)

MA, Denver SeminaryEditor, LeaderTreks(USA)

Marguerite Shuster (USA)

PhD, Fuller Theological SeminaryHarold John Ockenga Professor Emerita

of Preaching and Theology, and SeniorProfessor of Preaching and Theology,Fuller Theological Seminary (USA)

Author of The Fall and Sin: What We HaveBecome as Sinners

Robert M. Solomon (Singapore)

PhD, The University of EdinburghBishop Emeritus, The Methodist Church in

SingaporeAuthor of The Sermon of Jesus: The Kingdomof God, a Darwinian Jungle and aTheatrical Church

Preston Sprinkle (USA)

PhD, Aberdeen UniversityDirector of Eternity Bible Colleges Boise

Extension Site (USA)Author of Charis: Gods Scandalous Grace

for Us

Carrie Steenwyk (USA)

MTS, Calvin Theological SeminaryPublications Manager, Calvin Institute of

Christian Worship (USA)English Instructor, Kuyper College (USA)Co-editor of Eerdmans The Church at

Worshipseries

Andrew E. Stoddard (USA)

MA, Wheaton CollegeAcquisition Editor, David C. Cook (USA);

Adjunct Professor, Moody BibleInstitute (USA)

Jeremy R. Treat (USA)

PhD, Wheaton CollegePastor, Reality LA (USA); Adjunct Professor,

Biola University (USA)Author of The Crucified King: Atonement

and Kingdom in Biblical and SystematicTheology

Charles C. Twombly (USA)

PhD, Emory UniversityIndependent Scholar (USA)Author ofPerichoresis and Personhood: John

of Damascus on God, Christ, and Salvation

Michal Valo (Slovakia)

DPhil, Comenius UniversityAssociate Professor of Religious Studies,

The University of ilina (Slovakia)Author of Christian Churches in Post-

Communist Slovakia: Current Challenges

and Opportunities

Benno Van Den Toren (Netherlands)PhD, University of KampenChair of Intercultural Theology, Protestant

Theological University (Netherlands)Author of Christian Apologetics as Cross-

Cultural Dialogue


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viii Contributors

Bruce A. Ware (USA)

PhD, Fuller Theological SeminaryProfessor of Christian Theology, The

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary(USA)

Author of Gods Greater Glory: the ExaltedGod of Scripture and the Christian Faith

Trevin Wax (USA)

MDiv, Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryManaging Editor of The Gospel Project,

LifeWay Christian Resources (USA)Author of Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering

the Good News in a World of False Hope

Stephen J. Wellum (Canada)

PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolProfessor of Christian Theology, The

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary(USA)

Coauthor ofKingdom through Covenant:A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the

Covenants

David Wilkinson (England)PhD, Durham UniversityPrincipal of St. Johns College and Professor

of Theology, Durham UniversityAuthor of Creation: The Bible Speaks Today

Sarah Hinlicky Wilson (USA/France)

PhD, Princeton Theological SeminaryResearch Professor, Institute for Ecumenical

Research (France)

Author of Woman, Women, and thePriesthood in the Trinitarian Theology of

Elisabeth Behr-Sigel

Brian Wintle (India)

PhD, University of ManchesterRegional Secretary, Asia Theological

Association (India)Author of Synoptic Studies, Volumes I & II

John D. Witvliet (USA)

PhD, University of Notre DameDirector/Professor, Calvin Institute of

Christian Worship, Calvin College andSeminary (USA)

Author of Worship Seeking Understanding:Windows Into Christian Practice

Edwin Woodruff Tait (UK)

PhD, Duke UniversityContributing Editor, Christian History

Magazine(USA)

Jennifer Woodruff Tait (USA)

PhD, Duke UniversityManaging Editor, Christian History Magazine

(USA)Author of The Poisoned Chalice: Eucharistic

Grape Juice and Common-Sense Realism inVictorian Methodism

Philemon Yong (Cameroon)

PhD, The Southern Baptist TheologicalSeminary

Director of Curriculum Developmentand School Planting, Training LeadersInternational (USA)


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Foreword

Im in the process of remodeling my garage, which for the most part means adding

new electrical lines to run my many power tools. After laying out the conduit that

holds the wires, Im ready to attach wires to outlets and switches. Some of the wiring

will be a little complicated. What to do?I have two options. I can find a book that simply shows in a colorful diagram that

if I want to do X with a switch, here is how to wire it. Thats practical electricity.

Or I can read up on how electricity actually works in a home. I can try to understand

which line supplies power, which is neutral, and how the current will go back and

forth through the line. Then I can use that information to figure out how to wire the

garage. Thats the philosophy of electricity.

The first solution works as long as everything works. But what if after wiring

everything, I supply power to my garage and all my circuit breakers shut down? Those

colorful diagrams cant help me. My problem is more complicated than that. Only if Ihave a grasp of how electricity works will I be able to solve my problem.

To know Christian doctrine is to know the philosophy better called theolo-

gy of who God is and how the Christian life works. While its sometimes easiest to

consult practical handbooks of Christian living, its crucial that Christians also know

theology. Because some problems cannot be solved until we grasp what is going on

theologically.

I have a friend who had been striving to be the perfect father, husband, employee,

church volunteer and public citizen and as a result his emotional rope was fraying.He realized that the reason he was striving, striving, striving was that he was trying to

prove to God that he was worthy of his love. Even though he had been in church for

decades, he had somehow bought into a theology of works righteousness, which is

about earning Gods favor. When a friend reminded him of the doctrine of grace that

God forgives our sins and covers us with love while we were sinners, long before

we could even begin to think about earning it well, he broke down and cried in

gratefulness.

Yes, good theology can make you cry. And it can make you praise. And love.

Mostly love love God and neighbor.And thats why weve crafted theNIV Understand the Faith Study Bible. It may

sound like a Bible just for intellectuals. Nope. Its for anyone who bumps into prob-

lems not necessarily addressed in purely practical handbooks on Christian living

when the diagrams dont seem to fit reality. And its especially for those who want to

deepen their love of God and grow in their love of neighbor.


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x Foreword

This Bible could be called The Loving God Bible for that reason. It could also

be called The Grace of God Bible. Because the classic doctrines of the Christian faith

dont merely point to abstract truths or what were supposed to believe to be good

Christians. In the end, all Christian doctrine is about how God is great and gracious.

And the better we understand that, the more overwhelmed we are with gratefulness sometimes to the point of tears and that only prompts us to praise God and love our

neighbor more than ever.

Mark GalliEditor, Christianity Today

General Editor,NIV Understand the Faith Study Bible


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How to Use This Bible

Evangelical and Global

Every Christian tradition has a theological tradition. Some verses and teachings are

more central than others. Few if any Christians today assert that they alone know

and follow Gods truth and that all other Christians live in error. We recognize today

that every branch of Christianity has some theological gift to bring to the banquet of

Christian teaching.

Understand the Faithis an attempt to bring a variety of traditions together, espe-

cially the centrist, orthodox and evangelical streams. A single doctrinal Bible cannot

do everything, and weve chosen this portion. At times well point to the teachings of

Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, especially where classic evangelicalism

is in agreement. But this is a broadly evangelical Bible.

That means we try to talk about Christian teachings in a way that the Reformed,Arminians, Anabaptists, Pentecostals, Charismatics and all the rest agree on the

Trinity, the nature of Christ, mission to spread the gospel and so forth. And when there

is a point at which they disagree the meaning of baptism, free will, end times and so

forth we charitably and faithfully show what each tradition believes on that point.

In addition, weve tried to include the perspectives of non-North Americans. We

asked Christians from other continents to write some of the doctrinal articles, and

weve worked to show how traditions from different cultures illustrate doctrinal truths.

God has blessed not just various theological traditions but every culture with insights

into who he is.

Features

To help you best make use of this Bible, here are some points to ensure you under-

stand the main features and what each is designed to accomplish.

Book Introductions:At the beginning of each Bible book, weve included an in-

troduction summarizing the books title, author, date of writing, purpose, historical

background and distinctive literary and theological themes.

Doctrine 101:Throughout the Bible, you will find theology articles highlighting the

doctrines that have become the bedrock of Christian belief. These articles take on

some of the most thought-provoking and perplexing questions about God and our

world. Each article aims to help you grow in your love of and obedience to Jesus

Christ, equip you to answer questions about faith and energize you to share the gospel


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xii How to Use This Bible

with others. These articles will help you understand not only the Biblical basis of these

doctrines but also why in todays world they are vital to know and believe.

Everyday Faith:Each devotion is linked to a specific Bible passage to show how the

corresponding doctrine finds its basis in the Bible. The devotions also use illustrations

to illumine a particular facet of Gods glorious nature.

Culture Connections:These short articles highlight customs, holidays, proverbs, sto-

ries (even mythical) and sayings from around the world to illustrate classic Christian

doctrines. Some are linked to specific Biblical texts, offering a commentary on the

message of the passage.

Living Parables:These short articles demonstrate how contributions of past Chris-

tians remain important today. Each article focuses on one historical figure and one ma-

jor contribution they made to Christian thought. By showcasing historical Christians

from various cultures and traditions, we offer cross-cultural perspectives on timeless

issues that address and sometimes reframe our own questions.

Up for Debate:Whereas Doctrine 101 articles highlight timeless truths generally af-

firmed by all Christians throughout history, these articles offer a spectrum of view-

points on topics about which believers disagree. These debates inspire us to think

more critically about what we believe and why. They also help us to better appreciate

the perspectives of others.

Charts and Graphs:

Several charts and graphs provide summaries of various theolog-ical concepts and arguments. They introduce readers to important terms and positions

and can be used as handy reference materials. The charts and graphs cover topics

such as Atonement Theories, Eschatology, Early Christological Heresies, Views of the

Trinity, Contrasting Anthropologies and more.

Subject Index:Located at the back of this Bible, this is a list of the major subjects

covered.

Glossary:The glossary of theological terms at the back of this Bible contains defini-

tions and Scripture references for some of the terms, names and phrases found in thefeatures of this Bible.

We trust that as you work through this Bible devotionally yes, theology can be read

devotionally! you will grow in your appreciation of what other traditions teach and

also become more deeply grounded in the central teachings we all share. And that, we

trust, will elicit praise for our Creator and love of our neighbor.


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INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF

Genesis, a Greek word meaning origin or beginning, was the title given to this book by the

translators of the third-century BC Greek Old Testament known as the Septuagint .The first

word in the Hebrew text, bereshith, means in [the] beginning and is the Hebrew name for

this book. This book is about many beginnings the beginning of the universe, of man and

woman, of human sin, of Gods promises and plans for salvation, and of a special relationship

between God and Abraham.

Although this book begins with the creation of the universe, the focal point is the creation

of human beings. As the human race multiplies, the account narrows to specific individuals

and families. The contents of Genesis, divided on this basis, are the creation of the heavens

and the earth (2:4); the story of the generations of Adam (5:1); of Noah (6:9); of the sons ofNoah (10:1); of Shem (11:10); of Terah (11:27); of Ishmael (25:12); of Isaac (25:19); of Esau (36:1);

of Jacob (37:1).

The book of Genesis introduces Gods progressive self-revelation to humanity. It is quoted

more than 60 times in the New Testament, where Gods revelation culminates in the person of

Jesus Christ. In this way, Genesis provides the history of the beginning of Gods relationship

with humankind, and thus the book is essential for a proper understanding of Gods subse-

quent dealings with his people.

The key theological themes in Genesis include creation, anthropology (theology of

human beings), sin, covenant and salvation. Genesis is resolutely monotheistic, telling the

acts of one sovereign God who created all that exists. It also begins telling the story of Godsjudgment against sin and his plan to save humans who were made in Gods image from

the consequences of their rebellion against him. Finally, Genesis introduces us to the way God

initiates a relationship with humankind and how he remains faithful to his promises. n

Genesis

The Beginning

1 In the beginning God created the heav-

ens and the earth. 2Now the earth wasformless and empty, dark ness was overthe surface of the deep, and the Spirit ofGod was hovering over the waters.

3And God said, Let there be light, andthere was light. 4God saw that the lightwas good, and he separated the light fromthe darkness. 5God called the light day,and the darkness he called night. Andthere was evening, and there was morn-

ing the first day. 6And God said, Let there be a vault be-

tween the waters to separate water fromwater. 7So God made the vault and sep-arated the water under the vault fromthe water above it. And it was so. 8Godcalled the vault sky. And there was

evening, and there was morn ing thesecond day.

9

And God said, Let the water under thesky be gathered to one place, and let dryground appear. And it was so. 10Godcalled the dry ground land, and thegathered wa ters he called seas. AndGod saw that it was good.

11Then God said, Let the land producevegetation: seed-bearing plants and treeson the land that bear fruit with seed in it,according to their various kinds. And itwas so. 12The land produced vegetation:

plants bearing seed according to theirkinds and trees bearing fruit with seed init according to their kinds. And God sawthat it was good. 13And there was evening,and there was morning the third day.

14And God said, Let there be lights in thevault of the sky to separate the day from


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2 Genesis 1:15

the night, and let them serve as signs tomark sacred times, and days and years,15and let them be lights in the vault ofthe sky to give light on the earth. Andit was so. 16God made two great lights the greater light to govern the day and thelesser light to govern the night. He alsomade the stars. 17God set them in the vaultof the sky to give light on the earth, 18togovern the day and the night, and to sep-arate light from darkness. And God sawthat it was good. 19And there was evening,and there was morning the fourth day.

20And God said, Let the water teem with liv-ing creatures, and let birds fly above theearth across the vault of the sky. 21So

God created the great creatures of the seaand every living thing with which the wa-ter teems and that moves about in it, ac-cording to their kinds, and every wingedbird according to its kind. And God sawthat it was good. 22God blessed them andsaid, Be fruitful and increase in numberand fill the water in the seas, and let thebirds increase on the earth. 23And therewas evening, and there was morn ing the fifth day.

24And God said, Let the land produce liv-ing creatures ac cording to their kinds:the livestock, the creatures that move

along the ground, and the wild animals,each according to its kind. And it wasso. 25God made the wild animals accord-ing to their kinds, the livestock accordingto their kinds, and all the creatures that

move along the ground according to theirkinds. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, Let us make man-

kind in our image, in our likeness, so thatthey may rule over the fish in the sea andthe birds in the sky, over the livestockand all the wild animals,aand over all thecreatures that move along the ground.

27So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them. 28God blessed them and said to them,

Be fruit ful and increase in num ber; fillthe earth and subdue it. Rule over the fishin the sea and the birds in the sky andover every living creature that moves onthe ground.

29Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the wholeearth and every tree that has fruit with

seed in it. They will be yours for food.a26 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (seeSyriac); Masoretic Text the earth

Doctrine:Human Identity

Anchor text:Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so

that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock

and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So

God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and

female he created them. Genesis 1:26 27

R. C. Sproul shares the story about a college student he once taught who had cerebral palsy.

Although the student struggled with spastic movements and garbled speech, he was extremely

bright and capable. Sproul writes: One day he came to me vexed with a problem and asked me

to pray for him. In the course of the prayer, I said something routine, with words like, Oh, God,

please help this man as he wrestles with this problem. When I opened my eyes, the student was

quietly weeping. I asked him what was wrong, and he stammered his reply, You called me a man.

No one has ever called me a man before. Te student was made aware in an indirect way that he

was created in the image of God and thus a man of great worth.1

See also:

Humanity as the Image of Godon page XXXX.Jesus Christ: The Revelation of Manon page XXXX.

1. Adapted from How NFL Rookies Make the Team, Craig Brian Larson, Preaching Today, last accessed S eptember 18, 2014, http://www.preachingtoday.

com/illustrations/2010/august/6082310.html.

EVERYDAY FAITHKnowing Who You Are


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Genesis 2:12 3

30And to all the beasts of the earth and allthe birds in the sky and all the creaturesthat move along the ground everythingthat has the breath of life in it I give ev-ery green plant for food. And it was so.

31God saw all that he had made, and itwas very good. And there was evening,and there was morning the sixth day.

2 Thus the heavens and the earth werecompleted in all their vast array.

2By the seventh day God had finished thework he had been doing; so on the sev-enth day he rested from all his work.3Then God blessed the seventh day andmade it holy, because on it he rested fromall the work of creating that he had done.

Adam and Eve

4This is the account of the heavens and theearth when they were created, when the LORDGod made the earth and the heavens.

5Now no shrub had yet appeared on theearthaand no plant had yet sprung up, for the

LORDGod had not sent rain on the earth andthere was no one to work the ground, 6butstreamsbcame up from the earth and wateredthe whole sur face of the ground. 7Then theLORDGod formed a mancfrom the dust of theground and breathed into his nostrils the breathof life, and the man became a living being.

8Now the LORDGod had planted a garden inthe east, in Eden; and there he put the man hehad formed. 9The LORDGod made all kinds oftrees grow out of the ground trees that werepleasing to the eye and good for food. In themiddle of the garden were the tree of life andthe tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10A river watering the garden flowed fromEden; from there it was separated into fourheadwaters. 11The name of the first is the Pi-

shon; it winds through the entire land of Hav-ilah, where there is gold. 12(The gold of thatland is good; aromatic resind and onyx are

Doctrine:Care for the Earth

Comment on:Genesis 1:28 30

An African proverb says, You must treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your

parents. It is loaned to you by your children. It is a saying of the Kikuyu of Kenya, who have long

had a keen sense of their responsibility to care for the earth. Te Kikuyu name for Mount Kenya,

the second highest mountain in Africa, literally means Gods resting place, and the people

believe God gave them the earth to care for on behalf of their children.

Tis accords remarkably with the Biblical understanding. Te language used in Genesis

1:28 30 troubles some people. Rule over can suggest control, which could lead to careless and

selfish use of the earth. Indeed, today we live in fear of endangering species and gobbling up the

earths precious resources.

Yet the Biblical motive for creation care has nothing to do with fear. Nor according to the Bible

is it our job to save the planet God has already promised to do that in Jesus Christ (see Rev22). Our job is simply to care as best we can for that which he has entrusted to us.

Ruling over, it turns out is just the right phrase for this task, because it signals a positive and

strong responsibility. It implies accountabilityto the One who gave us the task, as well as the

abilityand authorityto do it.

Our care for creation is grounded in hope, which the Kikuyu proverb hints at. Tis is Gods

world, not ours. In his loving providence, he has promised that there will be children, and that

there will be an earth to hand over to them, generation by generation. Tings may get worse for a

time, but in the end, God will have his way with our planet.

Tus creation care is motivated not by fear, but by love love for our children and our heavenly

Father. We are called to steadily improve the environment while trusting in the One who caresmore deeply for his creation than we ever could. And he will completely renew it someday.

CULTURE CONNECTIONS

Treat the Earth Well

a5 Or land; also in verse 6 b6 Or mist c7 TheHebrew for man (adam)sounds like and may berelated to the Hebrew forground (adamah); it is alsothe nameAdam(see verse 20). d12 Orgood;pearls


17/34


4 Genesis 2:13

also there.) 13The name of the second river isthe Gihon; it winds through the entire land ofCush.a14The name of the third river is the Ti-gris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. Andthe fourth river is the Euphrates.

15The LORDGod took the man and put himin the Garden of Eden to work it and take careof it. 16And the LORD God commanded the

a13 Possibly southeast Mesopotamia

Creation and Evolution: Three Views

Read:Genesis 2:4

Christians affirm that God is the Creator

of all things and that his creative acts

reveal his glory (see Ps 8; 19:1 2; Ro 1:20).

Christians also affirm that every member

of the Trinity was active in creating the

universe (see Ge 1:1 2; Jn 1:1 3; Col

1:16 17) and that all things were made

from nothing (see Heb 11:3), by Gods will

(see Rev 4:11).

However, not all Christians agree on

howGod created. Some believe the Biblical

narrative presents creation as a relatively

recent event; thus, they deny evolutionarytheory. Others believe scientific evidence

indicates that the earth is billions of years old,

and thus believe the Biblical God used some

evolutionary process as the means of creation.

If evolutionary theory is false, why does

the world appear to be so old? Conversely,

if the earth is billions of years old, how do

we understand Scripture when it says God

created the earth in six days? And if humans

evolved, physically and biologically, how dowe understand the story of Adam and Eve? If

we evolved from other primates, what does

that say about our being made in the image of

God? These are only a few of the important

theological questions raised.

Christians generally hold one of three views

on creation:

Young Earth Creationism

The earth and all of life was created bydirect acts of the Biblical God in a relatively short

period of time, somewhere between 6,000 and

10,000 years ago.

Genesis 1 2 should be read (along with all

of Genesis) as historical narrative, not as poetry.

Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke explains,

The poetic mode, the linguistic conventions, and

doxological tone of known ancient Near Eastern

hymns are notably absent in Genesis 1.1

The creation account provides specific factual

and historical details relating to the events and

timing of how we and our world were made. Thus,

the opening chapters of the Bible tell us both the

theological and the historical realities behind theorigins of the universe.

God literally spoke forth the cosmos by his words

and created the earth in six consecutive 24-hour

days. Adam a historical man was formed from

the ground, and Eve was molded from Adams rib.

The rest of humanity descended from this first

couple. There was no death before the fall, thus no

evolutionary process. Death is a result of Adams

and Eves disobedience.

Our understanding of science, history

and other disciplines should be informed byScripture. Scientific data suggesting long-term,

macroevolution can be explained easily: God

created the universe with apparent age. While the

earth is actually very young, God made it to appear

old or mature. Also, the worldwide flood recorded in

Genesis 6 9 accounts for the observed geological

features and fossil deposits that evolutionists rely

on to support their theories. Mountains and canyons

were not formed over millions or billions of years

by erosion and crustal stretching; rather, they were

formed quickly by the cataclysmic floodwaters.Analysis: Critics say this view imposes an

unnecessary literalistic reading of the creation

account that fails to recognize the authors literary

intention, which is more concerned with discussing

Gods activity and the function of creation rather

than providing a literal historical account. Critics

also believe this view establishes unnecessary

conflict between Gods revelation in Scripture and

Gods revelation in nature. They argue that this

view makes it impossible to harmonize scientific

discoveries with the Bibles account of creation.

Progressive Creationism (or Old EarthCreationism)

God created everything directly and deliberately

through a series of acts over a long period of

time over the course of billions of years. God

allowed certain natural processes (such as gene

mutation and natural selection) to affect the

development of life, but he also directly intervened

at key moments to guide those processes. As

Up

F

rDe

bate


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Genesis 2:19 5

man, You are free to eat from any tree in thegarden; 17but you must not eat from the tree ofthe knowledge of good and evil, for when youeat from it you will certainly die.

18The LORDGod said, It is not good for the

man to be alone. I will make a helper suitablefor him.

19Now the LORDGod had formed out of theground all the wild animals and all the birdsin the sky. He brought them to the man to

Robert Newman said, God used a combination of

supernatural intervention and providential guidance

to construct the universe.2

Order in the universe and life on earth could nothave emerged without intelligent intervention. Thus,

the notion that macroevolution accounts for the

increasing complexity of life is rejected.

Genesis 1 2 is not a literal historical record of

creation. Day in Hebrew (yom) can mean a literal

24-hour day or age or a period of time. The days

of Genesis 1 are best understood not as consecutive

24-hour days but long periods of time (day-age

view), or perhaps literal days separated by long

periods of time (intermittent-day view). Some

proponents believe the days are literary devicesused to communicate whatwas created and the

bringing of order to creation rather than howlong

God chose to spend creating.

Genesis 1 indicates that the world is very old.

For example, lights in the sky were made on day

four. When we look at stars, we see objects that

are hundreds, thousands and millions of light years

away. The light we see from these stars is the light

they gave off hundreds, thousands, and millions of

lights years ago. That means they were most likely

created millions of years ago.Though the earth was created in stages over

a long period of time, Adam and Eve the first

humans were created at a specific moment.

Most progressive creationists believe the

Genesis flood was local and is thus compatible

with scientific data suggesting that mountains and

canyons were formed over a long period of time.

The Bible sometimes uses universal terms when

in fact a limited meaning is implied (see Ge 41:57;

Dt 2:25; 1Ki 18:10; Ps 22:17; Mt 3:5; Jn 4:39).

Analysis: Critics say this view unnecessarilystretches the days of creation to millions of years

to accommodate secular theories or contemporary

science. They argue that the Bible indicates that

God spoke the world into existence in an instant

(see Ps 33:6,9).

Theistic Evolution (or EvolutionaryCreationism)

Genesis 1 2 is not a historical account as such.

Rather, it is a combination of prose and poetry. It is

concerned about theology, not science. The creation

account tells us who created (the Biblical God) and

what was created (the universe). But it does not

tell us how God chose to create or how long thisprocess took. Science provides the factual realities

behind Scriptures theological truths.

The days of Genesis 1 are not consecutive

24-hour days but are long periods. During these

days, God used evolution to bring about the

formation of the earth and all species of life.

Some theistic evolutionists believe Adam and Eve

were historical people, created directly by God apart

from evolutionary process. Others believe that after

humans evolved from primates, Adam and Eve (still,

historical people) were the first two humans to beinstilled with the image of God. Others believe Adam

(meaning humanity in Hebrew) and Eve (meaning

life) are literally constructs used to symbolize

the divine life (e.g., the image of God) given to

humanity.

Death existed before the fall and was a part

of evolution. Only spiritual death is the result of

humanitys disobedience.

The Genesis flood was local, not worldwide.

Mountains and canyons were formed over millions

and billions of years mainly by erosion, crustalstretching, volcanic eruption and other natural

events, not quickly by cataclysmic floodwaters.

Analysis: Some critics say this view

unnecessarily disregards Biblical revelation in order

to accommodate modern scientific theories. Critics

also say denying the reality of a historical Adam

and Eve leads to major theological problems (e.g.,

if Adam and Eve werent real people, how did sin

enter our world, and why does Paul talk about them

as if they were real?)

1. Bruce K. Waltke, The Dance Between God and Humanity: Reading

the Bible Today as the People of God, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans

Publishing Co., 2013), 172.

2. Robert C. Newman, Progressive C reationism, Three Views on Creation

and Evolution (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999), 106.

See also:

Father: Creatoron page XXXX.Father: Sustaineron page XXXX.Caring for the Earthon page XXXX.


19/34


6 Genesis 2:20

see what he would name them; and whateverthe man called each living creature, that wasits name. 20So the man gave names to all thelivestock, the birds in the sky and all the wildanimals.

But for Adam

a

no suitable help er was found.21So the LORDGod caused the man to fall intoa deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, hetook one of the mans ribsband then closedup the place with flesh. 22Then the LORDGodmade a woman from the ribche had taken outof the man, and he brought her to the man.

23The man said,

This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.

24That is why a man leaves his father andmother and is united to his wife, and they be-come one flesh.

25Adam and his wife were both na ked, andthey felt no shame.

The Fall

3Now the serpent was more crafty thanany of the wild animals the LORDGod

had made. He said to the wom an, Did Godreally say, You must not eat from any tree inthe garden?

2The woman said to the serpent, We mayeat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but Goddid say, You must not eat fruit from the treethat is in the middle of the garden, and youmust not touch it, or you will die.

4You will not certainly die, the ser-pent said to the woman. 5For God knows

that when you eat from it your eyes will beopened, and you will be like God, know inggood and evil.

6When the woman saw that the fruit of thetree was good for food and pleasing to the eye,and also desirable for gaining wisdom, shetook some and ate it. She also gave some toher husband, who was with her, and he ate it.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened,and they realized they were naked; so theysewed fig leaves together and made coverings

for themselves.8Then the man and his wife heard the

sound of the LORDGod as he was walking inthe garden in the cool of the day, and theyhid from the LORDGod among the trees of thegarden. 9But the LORDGod called to the man,Where are you?

10He answered, I heard you in the garden,and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.

11And he said, Who told you that you werenaked? Have you eaten from the tree that Icommanded you not to eat from?

12

The man said, The woman you put herewith me she gave me some fruit from thetree, and I ate it.

13Then the LORDGod said to the woman,What is this you have done?

The woman said, The serpent deceivedme, and I ate.

14So the LORDGod said to the serpent, Be-cause you have done this,

Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspringdand hers; he will crusheyour head, and you will strike his heel.

16To the woman he said,

I will make your pains in childbearingvery severe;

with painful labor you will give birth tochildren.

Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.

17To Adam he said, Be cause you listenedto your wife and ate fruit from the tree aboutwhich I commanded you, You must not eatfrom it,

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food

from it all the days of your life.18It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;

for dust you are and to dust you will return.

20Adamfnamed his wife Eve,gbecause shewould become the mother of all the living.

a20 Or the man b21 Or took part of the mans sidec22 Orpart d15 Or seed e15 Or strikef20 Or The man g20Eveprobably means living.


20/34


Genesis 5:2 7

21The LORDGod made garments of skin forAdam and his wife and clothed them. 22Andthe LORDGod said, The man has now be-come like one of us, knowing good and evil.He must not be allowed to reach out his hand

and take also from the tree of life and eat, andlive forever. 23So the LORDGod banished himfrom the Garden of Eden to work the groundfrom which he had been taken. 24After hedrove the man out, he placed on the east sideaof the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flamingsword flash ing back and forth to guard theway to the tree of life.

Cain and Abel

4

Adambmade love to his wife Eve, and

she became pregnant and gave birth toCain.cShe said, With the help of the LORDIhave brought forthda man. 2Later she gavebirth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked thesoil. 3In the course of time Cain brought someof the fruits of the soil as an offering to theLORD. 4And Abel also brought an offering fat portions from some of the firstborn of hisflock. The LORDlooked with favor on Abel andhis offering, 5but on Cain and his offering hedid not look with favor. So Cain was very an-gry, and his face was downcast.

6Then the LORDsaid to Cain, Why are youangry? Why is your face downcast? 7If you dowhat is right, will you not be accepted? But ifyou do not do what is right, sin is crouchingat your door; it de sires to have you, but youmust rule over it.

8Now Cain said to his brother Abel, Letsgo out to the field. eWhile they were in the

field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killedhim.9Then the LORDsaid to Cain, Where is your

brother Abel?I dont know, he replied. Am I my broth-

ers keeper?10The LORD said, What have you done?

Listen! Your brothers blood cries out tome from the ground. 11Now you are undera curse and driven from the ground, whichopened its mouth to receive your brothers

blood from your hand. 12When you work theground, it will no longer yield its crops foryou. You will be a restless wanderer on theearth.

13Cain said to the LORD, My pun ishment ismore than I can bear. 14Today you are drivingme from the land, and I will be hidden from

your presence; I will be a rest less wan derer onthe earth, and who ever finds me will kill me.

15But the LORDsaid to him, Not so f; any-one who kills Cain will suffer vengeance sev-en times over. Then the LORDput a mark onCain so that no one who found him wouldkill him. 16So Cain went out from the LORDspresence and lived in the land of Nod,geastof Eden.

17Cain made love to his wife, and she be-came pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cainwas then building a city, and he named it afterhis son Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad, andIrad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujaelwas the father of Methushael, and Methushaelwas the father of Lamech.

19

Lamech married two women, one namedAdah and the other Zillah. 20Adah gave birthto Jabal; he was the father of those who live intents and raise livestock. 21His brothers namewas Ju bal; he was the father of all who playstringed instruments and pipes. 22Zillah alsohad a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kindsof tools out ofhbronze and iron. Tubal-Cainssister was Naamah.

23Lamech said to his wives,

Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.24If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.

25Adam made love to his wife again, andshe gave birth to a son and named him Seth,isaying, God has granted me another child inplace of Abel, since Cain killed him. 26Sethalso had a son, and he named him Enosh.

At that time peo ple began to call onj thename of the LORD.

From Adam to Noah

5This is the writ ten account of Adamsfamily line.

When God created mankind, he made themin the likeness of God. 2He created them male

a

24

Orplaced in front

b

1 Or

The man

c

1Cain

sounds like the Hebrew for brought forthor acquired.d1 Or have acquired e8 Samaritan Pentateuch,Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text doesnot have Lets go out to the field. f15 Septuagint,Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well g16Nodmeans wandering(see verses 12 and 14). h22 Orwho instructed all who work in i25 Sethprobablymeansgranted. j26 Or to proclaim


21/34


8 Genesis 5:3

and female and blessed them. And he namedthem Mankindawhen they were created.

3When Adam had lived 130 years, he had

a son in his own likeness, in his own image;and he named him Seth. 4After Seth was born,Adam lived 800 years and had other sons anddaughters. 5Altogether, Adam lived a total of930 years, and then he died.

6When Seth had lived 105 years, he be camethe fatherbof Enosh. 7After he became the fa-ther of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and hadother sons and daughters. 8Altogether, Sethlived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

9When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became

the father of Kenan. 10After he became the fa-ther of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and hadother sons and daughters. 11Altogether, Enoshlived a total of 905 years, and then he died.

12When Kenan had lived 70 years, he be-came the father of Mahalalel. 13After he be-came the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840

years and had other sons and daughters. 14Al-together, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, andthen he died.

15When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he be-came the fa ther of Jared. 16After he becamethe father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 yearsand had other sons and daughters. 17Altogeth-er, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, andthen he died.

18When Jared had lived 162 years, he be-came the fa ther of Enoch. 19After he becamethe father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years andhad other sons and daughters. 20Altogether,

Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then hedied.21When Enoch had lived 65 years, he be-

came the father of Methuselah. 22After he be-came the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked

a2 Hebrew adam b6 Fathermay mean ancestor;also in verses 7-26.

Original Sin

Legend has it that G. K. Chesterton, when asked by a newspaper reporter what was wrong with

the world, skipped over all the expected answers corrupt politicians, warring nations,greed, street crime, unjust laws or inadequate education. He simply said, I am.

His answer startles us because we are apt to blame anything but ourselves. The problem is

usually out there somewhere else in

the world. But we dont like to think

that were part of the problem.

Still, no one believes they are

perfect. Each of us has a sense deep

within that we have a fundamental

flaw, that we dont measure up, and

that try as we might, we cannotchange our nature. This is what

Christians mean when they say all

human beings are aff licted with original sin. Chesterton also said original sin the idea that

everyone is born a sinner and will manifest that sinfulness is the only Christian doctrine that

can be empirically verified. Everyone criminal or saint sins. And this is the root cause of all

the worlds troubles.

To believe in original sin does not mean we believe human beings are inherently evil, or they

always choose evil over good. Augustine reminds us that God created us good, and we do not have

the power to overturn our essential, God-created nature. But we are all now afflicted with sin to

such a degree that we are not free not to sin.But how did sin come to invade and pervade the world that God made good? To this great

question, the Bible gives no philosophical answer; it only narrates a story that reveals the truth of

our situation better than any philosophy could.

Genesis 1 and 2 celebrate what God made and the position of honor and responsibility he gave

humanity. Chapter 3 tells us how things went awry Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of a tree

D O C T R I N E 1 0 1

What is the worldscentral problem?

Read:Genesis 3

Q


22/34


Genesis 6:5 9

faithfully with God 300 years and had othersons and daughters. 23Altogether, Enoch liveda total of 365 years. 24Enoch walked faithfully

with God; then he was no more, because Godtook him away.

25When Methuselah had lived 187 years, hebecame the father of Lamech. 26After he be-came the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived782 years and had other sons and daughters.27Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969years, and then he died.

28When La mech had lived 182 years, he hada son. 29He named him Noahaand said, Hewill comfort us in the labor and painful toil of

our hands caused by the ground the LORDhascursed. 30After Noah was born, Lamech lived595 years and had other sons and daughters.31Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years,and then he died.

32After Noah was 500 years old, he becamethe father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Wickedness in the World

6When human beings began to increase innumber on the earth and daughters were

born to them, 2the sons of God saw that thedaughters of humans were beau tiful, and theymarried any of them they chose. 3Then theLORDsaid, My Spirit will not contend withbhumans forever, for they are mortal c; theirdays will be a hundred and twenty years.

4The Nephilim were on the earth in thosedays and also afterward when the sonsof God went to the daughters of humans andhad children by them. They were the heroes

of old, men of renown.5The LORD saw how great the wickednessof the human race had become on the earth,and that every in cli nation of the thoughts ofthe human heart was only evil all the time.

a29Noahsounds like the Hebrew for comfort.b3 OrMy spirit will not remain in c3 Or corrupt

in the middle of the garden that God had made off limits. God told them that the consequences

of their act would unravel the world from that time forth. In other words, what happened in Eden

didnt stay in Eden (see Ro 5; 1Co 15). What went wrong in the beginning marked everything that

followed.And heres the mysterious part: Adams sin not only brings the judgment of death on all who

come after him, but it also makes them sinners.

Its diff icult to discern the precise reason the sin of Adam and Eve has had repercussions for all

humankind since that time. In Romans 3:23 Paul just says all have sinned and fall short of the

glory of God with the crucial caveat that he ultimately plans to extend mercy to all.

But the Bible doesnt excuse us by saying that its not our fault, that we cant help that

were predestined to sin. Instead it reminds us that were counted sinners because, in fact,

we all disobey willf ully (see Ro 5:12). In one sense, the reason we do evil things remains as

mysterious as the disobedience of Adam and Eve, since we too know the good that God wants

us to do.Though Genesis doesnt explain what is called the fall, an examination of that story reveals

more insights about the nature of sin. Consider, for instance, the seemingly inconsequential object

of temptation. A piece of fruit? One piece of fruit is the source of the worlds ruin? But isnt that

always the way? The pregnant teenager may have had sex with her boyfriend only one time, but her

life will be forever altered. The AIDS patient may have used an infected needle to inject heroin just

once. But the act generates its own consequences, even if God doesnt like it. One small deviation

can produce monstrous repercussions thats the nature

of the world we live in, the nature of the world God

created. Its one thing that makes life such a serious and

sobering reality.This whole business could lead to hopelessness if it

werent for the good news of the gospel: While we were

sinners, Christ died for us (see Ro 5:8). This means, first,

that we are forgiven. Second, he offers grace to lift us out of sin, if not fully in this life, certainly in

the life to come.

See also:

Jesus Christ: Faith as Obedience to Christon page XXXX.

Theories of Original Sin: Three Viewson page XXXX.Buffalo Herdon page XXXX.The Solutionon page XXXX.


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10 Genesis 6:6

6The LORDregretted that he had made humanbeings on the earth, and his heart was deeplytroubled. 7So the LORDsaid, I will wipe fromthe face of the earth the human race I havecreated and with them the animals, thebirds and the creatures that move along theground for I regret that I have made them.8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Noah and the Flood

9This is the account of Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blame lessamong the people of his time, and he walkedfaithfully with God. 10Noah had three sons:Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11Now the earth was corrupt in Gods sight

and was full of violence. 12God saw how cor-rupt the earth had become, for all the peopleon earth had corrupted their ways. 13So Godsaid to Noah, I am going to put an end toall people, for the earth is filled with violencebecause of them. I am sure ly going to destroyboth them and the earth. 14So make yourselfan ark of cypressawood; make rooms in it andcoat it with pitch inside and out. 15This is howyou are to build it: The ark is to be three hun-

dred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirtycubits high.b16Make a roof for it, leaving be-low the roof an opening one cubitchigh allaround.dPut a door in the side of the ark andmake lower, middle and upper decks. 17I amgoing to bring floodwaters on the earth to de-stroy all life under the heavens, every creaturethat has the breath of life in it. Everything onearth will perish. 18But I will establish my cov-enant with you, and you will enter the ark you and your sons and your wife and your

sons wives with you.19

You are to bring intothe ark two of all living creatures, male andfemale, to keep them alive with you. 20Twoof every kind of bird, of every kind of animaland of every kind of creature that moves alongthe ground will come to you to be kept alive.21You are to take every kind of food that is tobe eaten and store it away as food for you andfor them.

22Noah did everything just as God com-manded him.

7The LORDthen said to Noah, Go into theark, you and your whole family, because

I have found you righteous in this generation.2Take with you seven pairs of every kind ofclean animal, a male and its mate, and onepair of every kind of unclean animal, a maleand its mate, 3and also seven pairs of every

kind of bird, male and female, to keep theirvarious kinds alive throughout the earth. 4Sev-en days from now I will send rain on the earthfor forty days and forty nights, and I will wipefrom the face of the earth every living creature

I have made.5And Noah did all that the LORDcommand-ed him.

6Noah was six hundred years old when thefloodwaters came on the earth. 7And Noahand his sons and his wife and his sons wivesentered the ark to escape the waters of theflood. 8Pairs of clean and unclean animals,of birds and of all creatures that move alongthe ground, 9male and female, came to Noahand entered the ark, as God had com manded

Noah.10

And after the seven days the floodwa-ters came on the earth.

11In the six hundredth year of Noahs life, onthe seventeenth day of the second month onthat day all the springs of the great deep burstforth, and the floodgates of the heavens wereopened. 12And rain fell on the earth forty daysand forty nights.

13On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem,Ham and Japheth, together with his wife andthe wives of his three sons, entered the ark.14They had with them every wild animal ac-cording to its kind, all livestock according totheir kinds, every creature that moves alongthe ground according to its kind and every birdaccording to its kind, everything with wings.15Pairs of all crea tures that have the breath oflife in them came to Noah and entered the ark.16The animals going in were male and femaleof every living thing, as God had commandedNoah. Then the LORDshut him in.

17

For forty days the flood kept coming onthe earth, and as the waters increased theylifted the ark high above the earth. 18The wa-ters rose and increased greatly on the earth,and the ark floated on the surface of the wa-ter. 19They rose greatly on the earth, and allthe high mountains under the entire heavenswere covered. 20The waters rose and coveredthe mountains to a depth of more than fifteencubits.e,f 21Every living thing that moved on

a

14

The meaning of the Hebrew for this word isuncertain. b15 That is, about 450 feet long, 75 feetwide and 45 feet high or about 135 meters long, 23meters wide and 14 meters high c16 That is, about18 inches or about 45 centimeters d16 Themeaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.e20 That is, about 23 feet or about 6.8 metersf20 Or rose more than fifteen cubits, and themountains were covered


24/34


Genesis 9:8 11

land perished birds, livestock, wild animals,all the crea tures that swarm over the earth,and all mankind. 22Everything on dry landthat had the breath of life in its nostrils died.23Every living thing on the face of the earth

was wiped out; peo ple and animals and thecreatures that move along the ground and thebirds were wiped from the earth. Only Noahwas left, and those with him in the ark.

24The waters flooded the earth for a hun-dred and fifty days.

8But God remembered Noah and all thewild animals and the livestock that were

with him in the ark, and he sent a wind overthe earth, and the waters receded. 2Now thesprings of the deep and the floodgates of the

heavens had been closed, and the rain hadstopped falling from the sky. 3The water re-ceded steadily from the earth. At the end ofthe hundred and fif ty days the water hadgone down, 4and on the seventeenth day ofthe seventh month the ark came to rest on themountains of Ararat. 5The waters continued torecede until the tenth month, and on the firstday of the tenth month the tops of the moun-tains became visible.

6After forty days Noah opened a win dowhe had made in the ark 7and sent out a ra-ven, and it kept flying back and forth until thewater had dried up from the earth. 8Then hesent out a dove to see if the water had recededfrom the surface of the ground. 9But the dovecould find nowhere to perch because therewas water over all the surface of the earth;so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reachedout his hand and took the dove and brought itback to himself in the ark. 10He waited seven

more days and again sent out the dove fromthe ark. 11When the dove returned to him inthe evening, there in its beak was a freshlyplucked olive leaf ! Then Noah knew that thewater had receded from the earth. 12He waitedseven more days and sent the dove out again,but this time it did not return to him.

13By the first day of the first month of No-ahs six hundred and first year, the water haddried up from the earth. Noah then removedthe covering from the ark and saw that the

surface of the ground was dry. 14By the twen-ty-seventh day of the second month the earthwas completely dry.

15Then God said to Noah, 16Come out ofthe ark, you and your wife and your sons andtheir wives. 17Bring out every kind of livingcreature that is with you the birds, the an-

imals, and all the creatures that move alongthe ground so they can multiply on theearth and be fruitful and increase in numberon it.

18So Noah came out, together with his sons

and his wife and his sons wives.

19

All the an-imals and all the crea tures that move alongthe ground and all the birds everything thatmoves on land came out of the ark, onekind after another.

20Then Noah built an altar to the LORDand,taking some of all the clean animals and cleanbirds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21TheLORDsmelled the pleasing aroma and said inhis heart: Never again will I curse the groundbecause of humans, even thoughaevery incli-

nation of the human heart is evil from child-hood. And never again will I destroy all livingcreatures, as I have done.

22As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.

Gods Covenant With Noah

9Then God blessed Noah and his sons,saying to them, Be fruit ful and increase

in number and fill the earth. 2The fear anddread of you will fall on all the beasts of theearth, and on all the birds in the sky, on ev-ery creature that moves along the ground, andon all the fish in the sea; they are given intoyour hands. 3Everything that lives and movesabout will be food for you. Just as I gave youthe green plants, I now give you everything.

4But you must not eat meat that has itslifeblood still in it. 5And for your lifeblood Iwill surely demand an accounting. I will de-mand an accounting from every animal. Andfrom each human being, too, I will demandan accounting for the life of another humanbeing.

6Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God

has God made mankind.7As for you, be fruitful and increase in num-ber; multiply on the earth and increaseupon it.

8Then God said to Noah and to his sons

a21 Or humans, for


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12

D O C T R I N E 1 0 1

Humanity as the Image of God

If you ask people about their purpose in life, many people would give this answer: to be all

that I can be. As narcissistic as that sounds, there is an element of truth in it. Its only rightthat we strive to achieve our full potential as human beings, to be fully mature and fully alive.

The question becomes, What does a human being at full potential look like? That question is

answered in part by the traditional doctrine of our being created in the image of God (Ge 9:6).

Theologians have wrestled for

centuries over the meaning of this

little phrase. No one answer has

ever settled the issue. But many

theologians today would include

the following three things in

trying to explain what it means tobe made in the image of God.

First, God created us to live

in relationship with him, a

relationship in which we trust in him as our Maker and love him as our Father. This radically

opposes the modern idea that a truly mature person can cast off religion as a childish thing.

Instead, the Bible suggests we can understand who we are and what our meaning is only as we

recognize the one in whose image we have been created.

As theologian David Kelsey said, we are eccentric; our center lies outside of the circle of self

but instead in God.

Second, God made us for intimate relationships with one another Genesis says that Godcreated us male and female (1:27). This stands in contrast to the modern idea that the truly

mature person is autonomous and independent, or, as some religions and philosophies teach,

that we should try to remain emotionally detached so we can maintain equilibrium in life. This

verse, however, doesnt mean we all need to get married to be fully human. After all, Jesus wasnt

married, and he perfectly imaged the Father. But we all need community, and that includes both

men and women. Due to sin, our relationships involve pain, including unmet expectations,

unfairness and loss. But the Bible encourages us to accept this pain, as Jesus did, realizing that

God will use it for our good (see Ro 8:28). The gift of love in community far surpasses the pain it

costs.

Finally, God made us to take care of this world: God blessed them and said to them, Be

fruitful and increase in number; fil l the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the

birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground (Ge 1:28). This is our

commission, to care for or steward the earth and develop its full potential by creating culture,

tools, community and art. By doing these things, we mirror Gods love, creativity and care.

Genesis doesnt tell us everything about what it means to be made in Gods image. Only when

we encounter Jesus Christ, who is also called the image of God (see Col 1:15), do we see clearly

what it means to be truly human. Again, the question of how Christ is the image of God and

by extension how we are is a subject of much theological conversation. But this much is clear:

it certainly includes a life of sacrificial love on behalf of others.

So what does it ultimately mean to be all that I can be? It means to be in relationship with

our Creator and with others; it means to care forthe earth, which he lovingly created, using all the

gifts and talents hes given us. And it means to give

ourselves to God, to others and to Gods creation in

devoted sacrifice. To be all that we can be, then, is not about self-fulfillment but about living

fully as the beings God created us to be men and women who reflect his image.

What does it mean tobe all that I can be?

Read:Genesis 9:6

Q

See also:

Jesus Christ: Revelation of Godon page XXXX.There Are No Ordinary Peopleon page XXXX.


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Genesis 10:11 13

with him: 9I now establish my covenantwith you and with your descendants after you10and with every living creature that was withyou the birds, the livestock and all the wildanimals, all those that came out of the arkwith you every living creature on earth. 11Iestablish my covenant with you: Never againwill all life be destroyed by the waters of aflood; never again will there be a flood to de-stroy the earth.

12And God said, This is the sign of the cov-enant I am making between me and you andevery living creature with you, a covenantfor all generations to come: 13I have set myrainbow in the clouds, and it will be the signof the covenant between me and the earth.14

Whenever I bring clouds over the earth andthe rainbow appears in the clouds, 15I will re-member my covenant between me and youand all living creatures of every kind. Neveragain will the waters become a flood to de-stroy all life. 16Whenever the rainbow appearsin the clouds, I will see it and remember theeverlasting covenant between God and all liv-ing creatures of every kind on the earth.

17So God said to Noah, This is the sign ofthe covenant I have es tablished between me

and all life on the earth.

The Sons of Noah

18The sons of Noah who came out of the arkwere Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was thefather of Canaan.) 19These were the three sonsof Noah, and from them came the people whowere scattered over the whole earth.

20Noah, a man of the soil, pro ceededato planta vineyard. 21When he drank some of its wine,he became drunk and lay uncovered inside histent. 22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his fa-ther naked and told his two brothers outside.23But Shem and Japheth took a garment andlaid it across their shoulders; then they walkedin backward and covered their fathers nakedbody. Their faces were turned the other wayso that they would not see their father naked.

24When Noah awoke from his wine andfound out what his youngest son had done tohim, 25he said,

Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.

26He also said,

Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

27May God extend Japhethsbterritory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of

Japheth.

28After the flood Noah lived 350 years.

29Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then hedied.

The Table of Nations

10This is the account of Shem, Hamand Japheth, No ahs sons, who them-

selves had sons after the flood.

The Japhethites

10:2-5pp 1Ch 1:5-7

2The sonscof Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal,

Meshek and Tiras. 3The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah. 4The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites and the

Rodanites.d5(From these the maritimepeoples spread out into their territo-ries by their clans within their nations,each with its own language.)

The Hamites

10:6-20pp 1Ch 1:8-16

6The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put and Canaan. 7The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and

Sabteka. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.

8

Cush was the fathereof Nimrod, who be-came a mighty warrior on the earth. 9He wasa mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why itis said, Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter beforethe LORD. 10The first centers of his kingdomwere Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in fShinar.g11From that land he went to As syria,where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir,hCalah

a20 Or soil, was the first b27Japhethsounds likethe Hebrew for extend. c2 Sonsmay meandescendants

orsuccessors

ornations

; also in verses 3,4, 6, 7, 20-23, 29 and 31. d4 Some manuscripts ofthe Masoretic Text and Samaritan Pentateuch (see alsoSeptuagint and 1 Chron. 1:7); most manuscripts of theMasoretic TextDodanites e8Fathermay meanancestororpredecessoror founder; also in verses 13,15, 24 and 26. f10 Or Uruk and Akkad all ofthem in g10 That is, Babylonia h11 OrNinevehwith its city squares


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14 Genesis 10:12

12and Resen, which is between Nineveh andCalah which is the great city.

13Egypt was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites,

Naphtuhites, 14Pathrusites, Kasluhites

(from whom the Philistines came) andCaphtorites.

15Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn,a and of the Hit-

tites, 16Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,17Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 18Arvadites,Zemarites and Hamathites.

Later the Canaanite clans scattered 19andthe borders of Canaan reached from Sidon to-ward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward

Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, asfar as Lasha.

20These are the sons of Ham by their clansand languages, in their territories and nations.

The Semites

10:21-31pp Ge 11:10-27; 1Ch 1:17-27

21Sons were also born to Shem, whose olderbrother wasbJapheth; Shem was the ancestorof all the sons of Eber.

22

The sons of Shem: Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.23The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshek.c

24Arphaxad was the father ofdShelah, and Shelah the father of Eber.25Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg,ebecause in his

time the earth was divided; his brotherwas named Joktan.

26Joktan was the father of

Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Je-rah, 27Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28Obal,Abima el, Sheba, 29Ophir, Havilah and

Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.

30The region where they lived stretched fromMesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill coun-try.

31These are the sons of Shem by their clansand languages, in their territories and nations.

32These are the clans of Noahs sons, ac-

cording to their lines of descent, within theirnations. From these the nations spread outover the earth after the flood.

The Tower of Babel

11Now the whole world had one languageand a common speech. 2As people

moved eastward, fthey found a plain in Shi-nargand settled there.

3They said to each other, Come, lets makebricks and bake them thoroughly. They usedbrick instead of stone, and tar for mortar.4Then they said, Come, let us build ourselvesa city, with a tower that reaches to the heav-ens, so that we may make a name for our-selves; otherwise we will be scattered over theface of the whole earth.

5But the LORDcame down to see the cityand the tower the people were building. 6TheLORD said, If as one people speaking thesame language they have begun to do this,then nothing they plan to do will be impos-sible for them. 7Come, let us go down and

confuse their language so they will not under-stand each other.

8So the LORD scattered them from thereover all the earth, and they stopped build-ing the city. 9That is why it was called Ba-belh because there the LORDconfused thelan guage of the whole world. From therethe LORDscattered them over the face of thewhole earth.

From Shem to Abram

11:10-27pp Ge 10:21-31; 1Ch 1:17-2710This is the account of Shems family line.

Two years after the flood, when Shem was100 years old, he became the fa ther iof Ar-phaxad. 11And after he became the father ofArphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had oth-er sons and daughters.

12When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, hebecame the father of Shelah. 13And after hebecame the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived

403 years and had other sons and daughters.j14When Shelah had lived 30 years, he be-

came the father of Eber. 15And after he became

a15 Or of the Sidonians, the foremost b21 OrShem, the older brother of c23 See Septuagint and1 Chron. 1:17; HebrewMash. d24 Hebrew;Septuagint father of Cainan, and Cainan was thefather of e25Pelegmeans division. f2 Or fromthe east; or in the east g2 That is, Babyloniah9 That is, Babylon;Babelsounds like the Hebrew forconfused. i10Fathermay mean ancestor; also in

verses 11-25.

j

12,13

Hebrew; Septuagint (see alsoLuke 3:35, 36 and note at Gen. 10:24) 35 years, hebecame the father of Cainan. 13And after he becamethe father of Cainan, Arphaxad lived 430 years andhad other sons and daughters, and then he died. WhenCainan had lived 130 years, he became the father ofShelah. And after he became the father of Shelah,Cainan lived 330 years and had other sons anddaughters


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Genesis 12:2 15

the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years andhad other sons and daughters.

16When Eber had lived 34 years, he becamethe father of Peleg. 17And after he became thefather of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and hadother sons and daughters.

18When Peleg had lived 30 years, he becamethe fa ther of Reu. 19And after he be came thefather of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and hadother sons and daughters.

20When Reu had lived 32 years, he becamethe father of Serug. 21And after he became thefather of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and hadother sons and daughters.

22When Serug had lived 30 years, he becamethe father of Nahor. 23And after he became thefather of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and hadother sons and daughters.

24When Nahor had lived 29 years, he be-came the fa ther of Terah. 25And after he be-came the fa ther of Terah, Nahor lived 119

years and had other sons and daughters.26After Terah had lived 70 years, he becamethe father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

Abrams Family27This is the account of Terahs family line.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor

and Haran. And Haran became the father ofLot. 28While his father Terah was still alive,Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the landof his birth. 29Abram and Nahor both married.The name of Abrams wife was Sarai, and thename of Nahors wife was Milkah; she wasthe daughter of Haran, the father of both Mil-kah and Iskah. 30Now Sarai was childless be-cause she was not able to conceive.

31Terah took his son Abram, his grandsonLot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sa-rai, the wife of his son Abram, and to getherthey set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go toCanaan. But when they came to Harran, theysettled there.

32Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Har-ran.

The Call of Abram

12 The LORDhad said to Abram, Go fromyour country, your people and your fa-thers household to the land I will show you. 2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.a

Doctrine:Twisted Human Motives and Gods Grace

Comment on:Genesis 11:1 9

Te problem with the people o Babel was not that they wanted to be near to God dont we

all? No, the problem was that they wanted to make a name or themselves. Tey were hungry or

power and glory, and they were willing to go to great lengths to acquire it.

A Chinese proverb says, Tose who think they are building a mound may only in reality be

digging a pit. We ofen secretly hope that our deeds and aspirations or promotions and acts o

service will attract recognition or even earn Gods approval. But we soon discover they may only

drive us urther rom God and wreak havoc in our lives and the lives o others.

When God saw the tower that the people o Babel were building, he said, Nothing they plan to

do will be impossible or them (Ge 11:6), so he conused their language and disrupted their work.Its as i God had said, I I let their sin go unchecked, there is no telling how much worse it will

get.1So there is grace even in this judgment: God graciously restrains us rom digging our own

graves, so to speak.

See also:Jesus Christ: Revelation of Godon page XXXX.Rain for Allon page XXXX.

1. Kurt Strassner, Opening up Genesis(Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 55.

CULTURE CONNECTIONSBuilding a Mound or Digginga Pit?

a2 Or be seen as blessed


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16 Genesis 12:3

3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.a

4So Abram went, as the LORDhad told him;

and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.5He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, allthe possessions they had accumulated and thepeople they had acquired in Harran, and theyset out for the land of Canaan, and they ar-rived there.

6Abram traveled through the land as far asthe site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem.At that time the Canaanites were in the land.7

TheLORD

appeared to Abram and said, Toyour offspringbI will give this land. So hebuilt an altar there to the LORD, who had ap-peared to him.

8From there he went on toward t

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